Typology of Mobile Phone Replacement Behaviour among Generation Y in Malaysia

Abstract

Frequent change of mobile phones is believed to bring negative consequences to our well-being. This replacement behavior is influenced by complex reasoning that lies beyond product depreciation. The main objective of this study was to develop typology of consumers' mobile phone replacement behaviour.  Data were statistically analysed using cluster analysis and chi-square analysis. Based on a confirmed hypothesized model, replacer typologies consisting of apathetic replacers, pragmatic replacers and enthusiastic replacers were constructed. Majority of the respondents fell under enthusiastic replacer group (49%). Results from the chi-square analysis showed that enthusiastic replacers have greater emphasis on the consumption values, are highly motivated towards new technology, have high incomes and are likely to have tendency of compulsive in replacement of mobile phones. The development of replacement typologies based on the research framework derived from Theory Consumption Values and Technology Acceptance Model assist to face the critics of lacking of theoretical consolidation in variables selection in segmentation studies (Dibb and Simkin, 2009).